Q. What are the player fees at 3&2?  How many games do I play?

A.

Q. How competitive is 3&2?

A. In the kindergarten (coach pitch, machine pitch or 50/50) and machine pitch divisions (1st & 2nd grades), the emphasis is placed on learning how to play the game and every player bats and plays defensively. In the 3rd grade through the 6th grade divisions, rules require that teams bat through the entire roster, limited pitching appearances and each youngster plays a minimum number of innings defensively in each game.
As the players become older, starting with the 7th grade level, normal baseball rules and strategy are used. Players earn the right to have more playing time by working hard and improving their individual and team skills. Most managers try to play as many people as possible in each game, but it is not mandatory to do so.


Q. How are the levels of play determined?

A. Teams are seeded in all divisions to try to give balance to the playing schedule which provides all teams an opportunity for success in league play. First league teams are usually stronger than the second, third or fourth league teams in the same grade level.

The Metro and 1st Leagues in each of the 1st-8th grades are set up to accommodate teams that play in multiple tournaments. Weekends are left open for tournaments while league games are played during the week starting in early April. These teams are permitted to hold tryouts.


Q. How are teams formed?                

A. Teams are formed within the boundaries of each of the Shawnee Mission, Olathe, Blue Valley, Bishop Miege, St. Thomas Aquinas, St. James and DeSoto/Mill Valley High Schools, and by the current grade level of the players. For example, 1st grade players in the SM East area will play on teams formed specifically in that high school area. 3&2 encourages teams that may be interested in playing in tournaments to form by age, with players not turning the next older age by May 1st of the current year.

New teams are permitted to enter the program with a complete team or just a nucleus of players from the same high school area. Players not on a team can register through the 3&2 website to be placed on a team in their high school area on a space available basis. Additional teams will be formed as needed. There are no tryouts in the kindergarten (coach pitch, machine pitch or 50/50) through 6th grade divisions (except for the Metro and 1st Leagues in the 1st-6th grade levels).
 

Q. Why are teams at 3&2 formed by high school boundary area?

A.

• Forming teams by high school boundary areas creates more opportunities for more players to play more baseball for a longer period of time.
• Experience demonstrates that without high school boundary area limitations, teams seek to become more competitive faster, causing more lower level players on each roster to have fewer places to play as teams are selected and other teams are broken up earlier in a player’s development.
• High school area formation forces teams to take more players from their own area, creating more opportunities for everyone.
• High school area formation allows more players on area teams to play with classmates and friends longer which increases participation and extends players interest to continue playing, including those who may not be as talented.
• High school area formation is also generally more convenient for parents and players as they live and often practice near each other rather than at some distant practice field in another high school boundary area.  This convenience (car pooling is one example) promotes players staying involved in baseball longer.
• High school area formation better allows players of different talent levels to continue to develop a love of baseball, learn the valuable lessons taught by team sports and allows later bloomers the opportunity to still be involved in baseball as their skills and physical abilities develop.  It also allows opportunities for players who might not make their high school teams at more senior levels, but who have continued to play baseball, to remain active through the Federal League.
• High school area team formation encourages coaches to teach and improve player skills and develop better relationships with players rather than continually discarding players in search of better talent.
• Kids staying engaged in activities like sports, or in this case more kids playing more baseball, longer is essential to the well-being of the youth of our community and is consistent with 3&2’s charter, mandate and goals.
• Within the high school area boundary formation rules, 3&2 has leagues for teams at different levels which provides a significant amount of flexibility to accommodate teams and players at all levels.
• High school area team formation provides for a better competitive balance as all teams have the same rules for creating teams.

Q. How long is the season? When is the season over?

A. Teams are formed in January and February of each year. The regular season begins in mid April for most teams and ends about the third week in July. Check the Calendar of Events page on the left side menu options for the tentative ending date of the current season. Top teams in the 3rd grade through 8th grade and all teams in the 2nd grade machine pitch league advance to the season ending division championship tournament. 3&2 plays host to USSSA qualifying tournaments played in the 2nd grade through high school divisions that can lead to state and national competition.


Q. How do I get a team into 3&2?

A. To enter a team into the 3&2 league, managers need to complete a manager's application on-line (Register Your Team). The Sportsmanship Committee reviews all applications. Managers will receive additional information from the league in January. Once registration is complete, rosters and fees are turned into the league office. Schedules are available on-line and also distributed prior to the start of the season at a general membership meeting.


Q. What if we only have a few players? How do I get more players?

A. A team can be formed with just a nucleus of players from your high school area. Registration occurs in January and February and at that time, players that do not have a team to play on will register with the league in their high school area. Managers can then pick up players from that list and add them to their roster or they will be assigned to teams by 3&2.


Q. How do I get on a different team?

A. Players electing to be placed on a different team will need to contact their last year's manager and request a release from his current team prior to being rostered with his new team.  If a player moves into a different high school boundary area, is rezoned into a different high school boundary area or attends school in a different are than his last year's team was registered, he may stay on the team he is under contract with through the 8th grade division.  


Q. What are the pitching limitations for each grade level?

A. MLB Pitch Smart Guidelines


Q. Where do I get game balls? And what ball should I be using?

A. The Diamond DOL-1 & ADStarr 200 are the official game balls used at all levels of play first grade and older. Game balls are available from 3&2 at the field managers office or through the main office. (Located at the East Complex)

Q. Who gets awards and how and when are they presented?

A. Participation awards are available to each T-ball, kindergarten (coach pitch, machine pitch or 50/50) and 1st grade teams towards the end of their respective seasons. A message is sent to each of those managers letting them know when and where they can be picked up. Team and individual awards are presented to 1st and 2nd place teams in league play at the 2nd grade level and older, typically at the teams' first game of the playoffs. During fall ball, first place individual awards are available in the field manager's office the last weekend of league play for teams in the 2nd grade levels and older.


Q. What about facilities?

A. Few youth sports facilities can compare with the offerings of 3&2 Baseball. 3&2 has 27 age appropriate sized fields for kindergartners on up to high school teams. 3&2’s East Complex is located on 25 acres west of I435 on 87th Street (18300 W. 87th St.) in Lenexa. It features nine fields with lights. 3&2’s West Complex is located on 67 acres (8000 Monticello Rd.)  and features 18 fields, 11 of which are lighted.

Outside food and drinks items, pets, bikes, skateboards, roller blades or alcohol (inside the park or in the parking lots) are prohibited in 3&2’s facilities. Team and individual water jugs are allowed including team coolers containing bottled water.

For safety reasons, 3&2 does not allow warm-ups to be done outside the fields of play.  Please do not play catch or swing bats in the commons area.
 
Q. Where are the fields located?

A. The East Complex, fields 1-9, is located at 18300 W. 87th Street, Lenexa, KS  66220. The closest major intersection to the East Complex is 87th Street and Renner Road. The West Complex, fields 10-27, is located at 8000 Monticello Road, Shawnee, KS  66227. The closest major intersection to the West Complex is 83rd and K-7.

Parking for fields 10-21 should be done on the east parking lot off Monticello Road.  Parking for fields 22-27 should be done at the west parking lot off Monticello Terrace.

Q. How do I know if my games have been rained out?

A. Our rainout page will show if games have been canceled, postponed or we are still playing. You can also sign up for text and/or e-mail alerts through this system.